Continuous braided loops are used in a variety of applications, including sailing, medical, construction, and fishing to name a few. The process for creating the loop from a braid is done typically by either mechanically joining the ends together or splicing one end into the other. There are many references to splicing ropes in seamanship manuals and rope websites and the art of splices is well known to sailors and longshoremen. U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,864 to Lizardi, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes creating suture loops with their ends joined by using either a suture closure or a suture needle itself, both a crimping process. U.S. Pat. No. 7,399,018 to Khachaturian, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes a method for creating both wire and rope loops using both a splice and a metal over-wrap to secure the ends. These are slow processes and the ultimate strength of the loops created by these techniques is typically dependent on the joining technique.
Further U.S. Pat. No. 7,601,165 to Stone, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes creating a loop by passing the ends of a braided body through apertures in the body made by forcing the braided fibers apart to create openings for the entering and exiting of the ends with the braided body.
Further U.S. Pat. No. 6,923,824 to Morgan, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, describes creating a continuous suture loop by threading the end of a braided suture through its core at one end and out an aperture in the side of the braided body.
A method is desired for easily creating a loop having high tensile strength without disturbing the braid from which the loop is formed.